


During All Of This I Have One Question

by LifeOfRoos



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Escape, Gen, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Questions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25783879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LifeOfRoos/pseuds/LifeOfRoos
Summary: Crowley has an idea and plays a prank on Gilan and Halt. They handle the situation quite well, I would say.
Relationships: Gilan & Halt O'Carrick
Comments: 10
Kudos: 20
Collections: RA Fanfiction Challenge #3





	During All Of This I Have One Question

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my entry for the fanfiction challenge! I hope you like it, even though I based it very loosely of the prompt.

The question is not ‘Did Crowley do it?’ the question is, ‘Why did Crowley do it?’ Gilan stated. Halt looked at the door, that had been slammed shut right behind their backs. There was a note pinned to it. ‘I do not know why I still trust that man.’  
Gilan shrugged. ‘What does that note say?’  
‘Read it for yourself!’   
Gilan rolled his eyes, before pulling the note of the door. The room they were in was dimly lit, with only a small oil lamp on a table in the middle. Gilan walked towards it, with the letter. ‘Hm… alright. Good afternoon…’  
‘It’s eight in the morning.’  
‘Apparently we stepped into Crowleys’ trap earlier than he had anticipated.’  
‘I still want to know why he did it.’  
‘Yes, but good afternoon, Halt and everyone else. I had a doozy of an idea last friday. I call it: an escape room. It is a simple concept: You are all locked in a room with clues hidden throughout it. When you manage to find and solve all the clues, you will find the key that will get you out of the room. I knew you would be helpful enough to try it out for me!’  
Gilan looked at Halt after he read that sentence. Halt looked back. They shared a moment, before Gilan continued on reading: ‘The first clue comes right now, and do not worry, I have not made it to difficult: Umbrella, Never, Dragon, Earring, River, Talent, Ability, Bagel, Line, Ever. Good luck and have fun!’  
Gilan took a deep breath. Halt frowned. ‘Can I see those words?’  
‘Sure,’ Gilan said. Halt thought he could hear his former pupil whisper ‘why does Crowley do this?’ under his breath.   
Halt examined the words. ‘Alright, it actually isn’t super difficult. The first letters of each word spell Under Table, so I think that is where we have to look for the next clue.’  
Gilan picked up the oil lamp, crouched down and crept under the table, so he could take a look. ‘There are a few oak leaves here,’ he told Halt.  
‘Get them up here,’ Halt told him.  
‘What if we need to leave them here?’  
‘Then Crowley wins. I am not about to creep under a table for a game.’  
Gilan took the oakleaves of the hangers, crawled back and stood up again, all without spilling any oil.  
‘Here.’ Both he and Halt took a good look at the oak leaves. ‘It looks like something is written on them,’ Gilan mused.  
‘What a waste,’ Halt answered bluntly. ‘They could have actually given those leaves to someone.’  
‘I think they are made of wood, Halt.’  
‘In that case, it is a waste of time. What did he pay the woodworker to get him to spend the time making these?’  
‘I think that just adds to the bigger why of the whole ordeal. But let us focus on the leaves, because otherwise we might be here for a long time and I do not want to miss lunch.’  
‘Young people, always thinking of their stomachs,’ Halt said accusingly. Gilan decided not to answer to that.  
‘Alright, so here is a B and a D, this is an E and n, this an H and I…’  
‘It is meant to say ‘Behind painting,’ Halt cut in before Gilan could even finish his list. Gilan stared at the leaves. ‘I think you might be right.’ He took a good look around the room. ‘The only other thing we need to know is: which painting?’ He put his hand under his chin. ‘Oh, I know! All the oak leaves were hanging on the left side of the table, so probably on the left!’ He walked towards a painting of people enjoying a nice meal. Halt rolled his eyes - he thought those types of paintings were quite dumb. If you were rich enough for a painting, you were rich enough for food, so what did you need all the images of food for if you could just let someone bring actual food to your table at any time you wanted?’  
Gilan first looked at the painting. Than he lifted it up so he could look behind it. ‘Ah, look, a key.’   
‘Already? That was easy.’ Gilan narrowed his eyes.  
‘It’s a little bit too easy if you ask me.’  
Halt shrugged. ‘Maybe we just witnessed the result of the first time Crowley ever got bored or ran out of ideas,’ he prompted, but he did not sound like he believed it.   
Gilan walked to the door, with the key in his hand. He tried it out, but no luck - the key did not fit onto the door. ‘Bummer.’  
‘It probably means there is a locker in the room,’ Halt suggested. Gilan nodded.   
‘Probably. I’ll search left, you search right, alright?’  
‘Fine.’ Why would Crowley think of something like this and than actually do it? he thought.   
They searched for a couple of minutes, until Gilan made an ‘ah-ha!’ sound. He lightly tapped the locker. Halt slowly came over to see it, while Gilan was already trying to open it up.   
A small cup came tumbling out. Halt sighed deeply. ‘Alright, now he is getting desperate. I am done with this nonsense, let’s figure out how to get out of here and leave as fast as possible.   
Gilan looked at the cup, with the oil lamp close bye. ‘‘There is nothing written on this thing. It is just a regular, plain wooden cup.’   
‘Can I see it?’   
Gilan gave the cup to Halt. ‘Sure.’  
Halt gave the cup a good look, but had to come to the same conclusion as Gilan - it was just a normal cup, like the ones they used in the tavern. Maybe it even came from there.  
Halt took a look around the room, as well as he could. ‘Isn’t there a painting with a cup on it, or something?’  
Gilan held up the oil lamp. ‘Could be.’  
‘Yes, there!’ They walked over to a painting of a wine glass. It wasn’t exactly a cup, but it was something. Gilan pushed it aside and a paper note came falling down. He swiftly picked it up.   
‘Hello Halt and company, you are almost there! Just one more clue to go! It is just my first draft, so I thought I’d keep it easy! The clue is right in front of you!’ Halt and Gilan looked around. Then at each other.   
‘What clue?’  
‘I haven’t got a clue about that.’   
Gilan sighed. He held the oil lamp high and looked everywhere. At the painting, the table, the locker and the door. With squinted eyes, he decided to try and open it. No use - it was still locked.  
Halt sighed loudly and stood next to Gilan. He knocked the door a few times.   
Immediately, the door swung open, making Gilan and Halts’ eyes go wide. Crowley was standing on the other side, with a huge grin on his face.   
‘You cracked it!’  
Halt gave him a deathglare. Gilan opened his mouth. Than he closed it again. Than he opened it again. ‘... I have multiple questions, Crowley, but I am going to ask just one that has been pingponging around my brain this whole time,’ he said. ‘Just… why?’


End file.
